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Post by rodcourt49 on Oct 31, 2011 7:34:13 GMT 7
..does anyone know how to access Centreinks upcoming Questionnaire on Residency? Will it/should it be freely available..as it is not a protected document containing any personal information. (I've tried looking through the maize of documents in the Social Security Act, plus their web-site and cannot find anything!! To at least be able to read the format will enable me to prepare a lengthy Stat. Dec. to present. Any help/link much appreciated. Regards. ROD.
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Post by Banjo on Oct 31, 2011 9:29:14 GMT 7
I've got their old one Rod, I'm going to try to get down your way in the next couple of weeks I'll bring it with me, or I can scan and email. (I think I've got it, when your file comes in 5 bound volumes you tend to leave a lot of it home). It's meaningless anyway, I passed with flying colours and when they cut me off I pointed this out and they said...... wait for it..... "We were wrong".
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Post by Banker on Nov 9, 2011 7:45:21 GMT 7
Rod, Good luck with your interview it must be getting close now, we are all thinking of you & hope it goes well.
Cheers Banker
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Post by rodcourt49 on Nov 10, 2011 15:14:00 GMT 7
..thanks guys..I went one step further and made up my own reply in accordance with the provisions of Sect. 7.(3). It's in Stat. Dec format as an Appendix and ready for me to swear when I get back in Australia Dec 5. I will carry it with me should they ring in the meantime. I also emailed them and asked if i could send it for them to read and consider prior to calling me for the interview. They said ok! At least they will have it in black and white and not get confused with speech. See how we go..thanks for all your support and will keep you posted. Regards. ROD.
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Post by Banjo on Nov 10, 2011 15:45:13 GMT 7
Might have a run down your way next week Rod, there's another member currently in the area who wants to catch up as well.
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Post by latindancer on Nov 18, 2011 10:17:59 GMT 7
Here's an interesting little saga if anyone's interested. It seems that my payment has been reduced from over $800 a fortnight to $564 a fortnight due to my being married. I have been dreading this. My wife makes the equivalent of $90 a week and spends it all. In fact, I pay for a lot of things. My being overseas is irrelevant. By Centrelink's rules, it is as if I am in Australia, recently married, and my wife receives a grand total of $90 per week.....and they're REDUCING my benefit by $120 per week.......$240 per fortnight. Unbelievable ! This is a rather detailed account, as I've cut and pasted it from an email I just sent them. I have altered it slightly in places, but I am a slow typist so it's mostly a cut and paste job.
I am overseas and recently married a local lady. Recently whilst back in Australia, I reported that I had married. I was sent a "Module P" (partner details), however I mistakenly filled it out myself instead of my wife doing so. (The questions were quite odd, and there was in fact a small section for partner details). After returning overseas to be with my wife I was sent a form letter saying that my payment had been suspended due to my not having returned the form. I phoned Centrelink and was told that the form had been filled out incorrectly. It was suggested that I then download a "Module P", have my wife fill it in, and fax it to a number I was given. I did this. I had no reply for almost 2 weeks so phoned Centrelink and was told that they were still waiting for my "Module P". Finally the girl I spoke to said that it had been received; that the number I had faxed it to was in Canberra...... who had sent it to Hobart,.....who had sent it to my local office in Australia.........and that no action was being taken because Centrelink was still waiting for my "Module P".....(despite having received it). It seems that the left hand did not know what the right hand was doing. The girl I spoke to at my local office said she would send a message to Centrelink's International Services department in order to correct this situation, and I then received an email asking me to update my overseas address and phone details. Since then I have had one payment. And received an online letter with a one-line statement that my payment had resumed from 7th October. Nothing else. Nothing else has been told to me regarding my rate of payment, whether my payment had been reduced to half the married rate (or, hopefully, NOT reduced), or the rationale/details of whatever decision made about this. As my last payment before being suspended was on the 10th October, by my reckoning I should have received another payment 14 days later, on the 24th October.( which presumably is the payment I just received). However, looking at my calendar, two weeks after that is the 7th November and I have had no payment for that period. Looking at the "Payments" section of my online account I notice that my next projected payment is on 21 November. (Incidentally, no mention has been made of this in the online letter I received). This payment is for the amount of $564.50. Would you mind telling me why one entire payment has been missed, what the $564.50 represents, and the reasoning behind this, please ? If my payment has been reduced to half the married rate, would you mind telling me what the first step is in the appeal process ?
I'd like to make a comment here : it seems that Centrelink has no real processes in place to deal specifically with people like myself.....evidenced by our being asked to fill in a "Module P"; a form with questions which simply cannot be answered by a spouse living overseas. Some of the questions were absurd for anyone but an Australian resident.....which is why originally I mistakenly filled it out myself ( having done so, there was in fact a small section for partner details). Yours Faithfully, etc etc. .......................................................... ..................................................... It feels like I'm being run over by a large, impersonal and almost completely uncommunicative juggernaut. What a bunch of turkeys ! My "Module P" sent from International Services to my local office, and no action taken by either till I finally phoned. One payment missing completely, and no communication at all regarding my rate of payment or what's going on. And that's on top of my payment being reduced massively.
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Post by zorro1 on Nov 18, 2011 11:22:06 GMT 7
LD Im surprised that C/L hasn't questioned your residency since you are away every 13 weeks and have a wife overseas.
why are they taking more from your pension than your wife actually earns ?
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Post by latindancer on Nov 18, 2011 14:04:14 GMT 7
Good question. Haven't received a reply yet, but I'd say at a guess it's more blind bureaucracy, and that the reduction is automatic. The left hand may not even know what the left hand is doing, let alone the right hand. It really contradicts their statement to me once that "each person overseas is assessed on a case-by-case basis". And where's my missing payment ?
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Post by Banjo on Nov 18, 2011 14:44:13 GMT 7
If you are The maximum fortnightly payment is Single $689.00* Couple $519.40 (each)* Note: Some pensioners may also receive the Pension Supplement, an additional fortnightly payment to the base pension. The rates of Pension Supplement are $59.80 for singles and $45.10 (each) for couples. Total $564.50 www.centrelink.gov.au/internet/internet.nsf/payments/dsp_rates.htmNot sure what you can do about the missing payment other than keep rattling their cage. They have assessed you individually and decided to cut you to half the couples rate. Edit: Have you asked for the decision to be reviewed by a senior officer/Administrative Review Officer?
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Post by latindancer on Nov 18, 2011 15:16:06 GMT 7
No, not yet. Still waiting for a reply to that email asking them to clarify what they have actually done. Asking for a review will be the next step, but at the moment I might just take it one day/step at a time. I only realized my payment had been reduced because I looked in the "payments' section of my online CL account and saw my next expected payment. There had been (and still has been) no communication about anything except a one-liner saying my payment had been resumed as of 7 October. The juggernaut advances, crushing the puny mortals in it's path.
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Post by Banjo on Nov 18, 2011 15:49:15 GMT 7
It's a knee jerk reaction, like a travel insurance company that refuses every claim hoping that the claimant will give up without taking it further.
I think your best bet is your MP, you may find a sympathetic one. A point you can make is that if you couldn't live in Australia on $750 a fortnight you certainly won't be able to on $564 if they force you back.
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Post by Banker on Nov 18, 2011 16:30:10 GMT 7
LD Im not sure but that missing payment could be what happened some years ago when I lost my residency, they changed it from every two weeks to every four weeks which is what Im on now. They gave me no notification just did not pay, I had to call them up to find out what had happened to my payment thats how I found out. I had to borrow some money from a friend to get me through until the payment arrived in my B/A.
I think you should call C/L international first thing on Monday.
Good luck mate.
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Post by latindancer on Nov 18, 2011 18:14:25 GMT 7
Hang on a tic ! This whole thing threw me off balance so much, I didn't notice something very obvious.......the payment I DID receive was for the full amount I used to receive. It was not at a reduced rate. And this is after I had been marreied and reported it. There is a payment missing somewhere, but it is the next scheduled payment which is the $564. Something very odd here. I agree, Banjo.....it is a knee-jerk reaction by them. Possibly even automated on their computer. About your statement that : "you couldn't live in Australia on $750 a fortnight you certainly won't be able to on $564 if they force you back"...... Although I did find it difficult, that is the amount they have set as a single person being able to live on in Australia. I think that more to the point is that _we_ as a couple couldn't live in Australia on $564 + her $90 a week. Frankly, it will be difficult here. When I appeal I may well be able to get an exception and get paid the full single rate. What irritates me is that I have to go through all the drama and stress of it all. Then every other poor guy/girl will have to go through it all when THEY get married. Thanks for that suggestion Banker. It may be the case......though I fear not. I did ask for an explanation in my recent email. I will give them a call on Monday. Or wait till Tuesday and claim the moral high ground due to their utter slackness at communication.
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Post by Banjo on Nov 18, 2011 18:34:53 GMT 7
Centrelink have no moral ground, high or low, so claiming it is completely unnecessary.
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Post by howdo on Nov 19, 2011 19:07:21 GMT 7
Jeez, good luck L/D.
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